During acquisition of image with conventional computer tomography (CT) and conventional positron emission tomography (PET) scanners, the images scanned in consecutive table positions could correspond to different respiratory phases. Images that correspond to different respiratory phases have blurred regions and staged effects on 3D models that can be created from the images, which reduces quality of the images and the models. The blurred regions and staged effects have the effect of increasing the difficulty of visually identifying and/or detecting the organ edges, because these organs can have considerable movements due to the patient's breathing even for consecutive table positions.
Multi-phase imaging is imaging in four dimensions—length, width, height and time, commonly known as 4D. Before the introduction of 4D imaging technology in oncology applications, to compensate for the organ movements during a breathing cycle of a patient being imaged, a considerable margin was added around the target volume. These additional margins have considerably increased the risk of radiation injuries to the surrounding healthy organs, and in the same time reduced the efficiency of the radiation dose delivered to a tumor that is the subject of the imaging.
In addition, conventional oncology workflow is cumbersome and complicated. Conventional oncology workflow requires a considerable number of steps in multi-phase imaging. In addition, the current workflow cannot support CT/PET scanners, and 4D PET images. Though there are several solutions and applications, which support loading and spatially matching of the images with different modalities, even with contouring support, there is no process to review the final treatment plan using all the modality images involved during the treatment planning. Multi-phase imaging also requires a superfluous number of applications from scanning to diagnosis and treatment.
Multi-modality imaging is the implementation of two of more imaging modalities to generate images of patient's anatomy or functionality. The multi-modality images are suitable for diagnostic purposes or radiotherapy treatment, or for surgical planning. Examples include conventional X-ray plane film radiography; computed tomography (CT) imaging, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); and nuclear medicine imaging techniques, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT).
Comparison and use of multi-modality images improves the detection of tumors, especially in case of brain cancers and soft tissues, when the neighbor organs have almost similar CT densities (Hounsfield units), or when the tumor is inside the organ. Due to these advantages there is an increasing need from the oncology departments to provide better detection methods and automated tumor and cell disease diagnosis.
Conventional TPS can load only CT images. The conventional TPS systems are able to load only Radiation Therapy Structure Set (RTSS) objects with reference to a single series.
The conventional TPS systems and other systems permit the definition of MIP, Average IP and MinIP images based on the images of a series having different spatial coordinates. Other external applications are able to define MIP, Average IP and Min IP image series based on the images for the same table location, but corresponding to different respiratory phases. However, conventional systems do not provide for treatment plan (i.e. radiation therapy plan RTPL) definition that includes flexibility to define and redefine the images based on the different separation parameters. These images are important to detect the organ movements between the maximum and minimum positions of the organs, regions of interest during the respiratory cycle, to define the margins required during non-gated treatment.
For the reasons stated above, and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for improved identification of tumors and fewer steps in the process of image acquisition, diagnosis and treatment. There is also a need in the art to reduce the risk of radiation injuries to the surrounding healthy organs. There is also a need in the art for treatment plan definition that includes flexibility to define and redefine the images based on the different separation parameters. There is also a need in the art for a TPS that can load more than CT images and Radiation Therapy Structure Set (RTSS) objects with reference to a single series.